Well packer



R. R. RENOUF June 25, 1935.

WELL PACKER Filed Nov. 28, 1933 Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED y STATESPATENT OFFICE Y t WELL PACKER Roy R. Renouf, Los Angeles, Calif.,assignor to Olympic Engineering Corporation, Los Angeles, l Calif., acorporation of California Application Novemterzs, 1933, serial Nq.'100,088

` 9 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to packing de" vices for oil wells, andparticularly to -what are known as by-pass packers, adapted to be set atany desired point within a well. Such packers are open to permit iiuidto pass` through the packer while the packer is being raised or loweredbut completely "seal the space between the oil tubingand casingwhenthepacker is set.

An object of the invention is to provide a sim-r ple and practicalstructure for positively maintaining the by-pass valve of the packeropen during raising orlowering of the packer.

Another object is to provide a packing structure that is positive inoperation and cannot easily be damaged as the` result of carelessmanipulation.

Another object is to provide a packer the parts of which can bemanufactured and assembled at low cost. i y ,l

Another object is to provide a packer having a slip mechanism that isparticularly positive in operation and is not readily damaged orrendered inoperativeiin use.

stm another object is tcprovide a snp setting f mechanism that ispositive in operation and can be readily set `or released within the`well.

Other more specific objects and features of the invention will beapparent from the following detailed description which refers to thedrawing.v

In the drawing:

Fig. l is an elevation view of my packer in condition ready to belowered into a well;

Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section showing the construction of thepacker proper and the slip mechanism; l

Fig. 3 is a cross section inv theplane III-III of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a cross section in the pla of Fig. 1; 'l

Fig. 5 is a cross section inthe planel V-V of Fig. 1; and u l Fig. 6 isa detail section view of one of the bolts and guides for retaining theby-pass valve in open position while the packer is being raised 'orlowered. l 0

Mypacker comprisesas its main component parts a hollow mandrel I, whichextends completely through the packer and slip assembly, a packer member2 and the an anchor. spring assembly 3, both the packer member andanchor spring assembly being slidably mounted upon the mandrel I. 1

The mandrel I is connected at its upper end, as byscrew threads, to avalve member 4 which in `turn is adapted to be screwed onto` the lowerend of a string of tubing. 'Ihe valve I is of solid e vIv---Iv (ci. 16s-12) construction except for a central passage therethrough, whichconnects the passage through the mandrel to the well tubing, and isprovided `with a beveled valve face 5 on its lower edge adapted tocooperate with a beveled valve seat 6 on the 5 upper end of the packermember 2.

The packer member 2 comprises an upper collar 1 to which a. hollowpacker ring supporting sleeve 8 is attached, as by threads 9. 4Thesleeve 8 is provided with a plurality of inwardly ex- 10 tending spacerlugs I0 which maintain the upper end of the packer member 2 inconcentric relation with the mandrel I.

A slip expander or cone II is positioned below. thev sleeve 8 and isextended up around and is 15 in sliding engagement with the lower end ofsleeve 8. A lower packer ring compression collar I2 is secured by screwthreads I3`to the upper end of the cone II. This collar I2 is in slidingengagement with the outer surface of 2o the sleeve 8 to permitthe'sleeve 8 to telescope l within the collar I2 when pressure isapplied to expand the packer rings I4 which fit around the i sleeve 8and are retained in position thereon by the lower collar I2 and theupper collar "I, To 25 .of the latter through a predetermined distance.35

To maintainthe lower end of the cone II in `concentric relation with themandrel I, the cone is provided at its lower end with a.` plurality ofinwardly projecting'lugs I'I (Fig. 3), which lugs guide the cone II asit slides along the mandrel 40 but permit `free iluid flow from top tobottom through the sleeve 8 and cone II around the mandrel.

kIn operation. upward movement of the packer member 2 with respect tothe mandrel I is lim- 45 ited by the engagement of the valve 5 with thevalve seat 6 (Fig. l). To limit downward movement of the packer member 2with respect to the mandrel, a shoulder or collar I8 is provided on themandrel which engages with the lower edges 5,0 o! the lugs I1 on cone IIwhen the latter is in lowermost position with respect to the mandrel.

'I'he packer is anchored to the casing at any, desired elevation in thewell by means of slips I8 which are mounted in dovetail slip guides on 52- the cone-II, as shown in Fig. 3, the slips being restrained frommovement outwardly by the overvhanging walls of the dovetail guides butbeing free to slide longitudinally along the slip seats. 'I'he verticalpositions of the slips I8 with respect to the cone II is ordinarilydetermined by the setting mechanism which will be described later, butto prevent any possibility oi the slips escaping from their guides each'slip is provided with a screw 20 which projects into a longitudinalgroove 2| in the bottom of its associated slip seat. Should a slipvforany cause tend to move out of its slip seat, either at its upper orlower end, the inwardly projecting end of screw 28 engages with the endof the slot 2| in the slip seat associated with that slip and preventsfurther movement of the slip.

The slip setting mechanism comprises the anchor spring assembly 3,together with a slip collar 22 and slip reins 23. The anchor springassembly 3 .includes a sleeve 24 slidably mounted upon the mandrel Ibelow the packer member 2, which supports bow springs 25 forfrictionally engaging the well casing. The bow springs 25 are rigidlysecured at their lower ends to the sleeve 24. but are secured at theirupper ends to 9, ring or collar 26 which is slidable longitudinally onthe sleeve 24 to permit contraction and expansion of the bow springs 25.'Ihe portion of the sleeve 24, upon which the collar 26 slides, is ofslightly smaller exterior diameter than the main portion of the-sleeveto limit downward movement of the collar 26.

The sleeve 24 is free to, rotate upon the man-f,-

drei I except as limited by a lock pin 21 which projects outwardly fromthe mandrel and engages with a vertical slot 28 in sleeve 24, which slotis provided with a lateral recess 28a-at its upper end. l 'I'he slips 23are set and released in response to vertical movement of the sleeve 28with respect to the conek I I. To this end, each slip I8 is connected byits associated rein 23 to the slip collar 22 which is rotatably lmountedin an annular recess provided therefor on lthe upper end of sleeve 24.By virtue of the fact that the slip collar 22 is rotatably mounted onthe sleeve 24, the reins 23 always remain in perfect alignment with theslips and ring regardless of the position of rotation of the sleeve 24with respect to the packer member 2. f

To maintain the valve 5 in open position with respect to the valve seat5 in the upper end of the packer member 2, bolts 28 threaded into slipcollar 22 are provided for connecting the slip body II to the slipcollar 22, thereby positively holding the packer member 2 in its loweror open position while the slip collar 22 is in lower position as shownin the drawing. However, to permit the slip collar 22 to move upwardlywith respect to the cone II, which is necessary in order to set theslips I 9, the bolts 29 are permitted to telescope into the cone II.Thus. as shown in detail in' Fig. 6, each bolt 29 is provided with ahead 30,adapted to move vertically in a recess 3l in the 'slip body,which recess is closed prevents the head 30 on the at its lower end by athreaded bushing 32, which bolt from being withdrawn from the cone II.

Although various types of packing rings may be employed with theassembly described, I' have found that :packer rings of the lshape shownin Fig. 2 are particularly effective. Thus,'referring to Fig. 2, eachpacking ring I4 comprises a rubber core 33 of rectangular cross sectionsurrounded with a wrapping 34 of heavy canvas, the whcie beingcompressed into the shown.

The device "described functions as follows: When the packer-is to beinserted into a well, the valve member 4 is screwed onto the lower endof the well tubing and the anchor spring cage or sleeve 24 is moved into'lower position and turned to engage the pin 21 on the mandrel I in therecess 28a as shown in Fig. 1. This retains the sleeve 24 in lowermostposition with respect to the mandrel, in which position the slips I9 areheld in contracted position on the cone I I and in which cone II is alsoheld down, by the bolts 29, against the collar I8 on the mandrel. Thismaintains the valve seat 6 clear of the valve face 5 so that as thedevice is lowered into the well a free fluid passage is provided throughthe packer about the mandrel I.

When the packer has been lowered to the level of the well at which it isto be set, the pin 21 is released from the recess 29 by rotating thetubing string to the left. This action takes place because of the factthat the sleeve 24 is restrained from turning by the friction of the bowsprings 25 against the casing, whereas the mandrel rotates with thestring of tubing to which it is solidly atparticular shape tached. Afterthe pin 21 has been released from the recess 29, the tubing is againlowered, moving the mandrel down. The sleeve l24, however, now no longermoves downward with the mandrel since the pin 211s free to moveindependently of.

the sleeve through the slot 28 and the sleeve 24 is maintainedstationary by friction of the bow springs 21 against the casing. If thepacker.l

the mandrel continues until the valve face 5 rests i against the valveseat 6 in the upper end of the packer member which seals the passagethrough the packersurrounding the mandrel. Further downward movement ofthe tubing string thereafter forces the upper packing collar 1 andsleeve 8 down with respect to the lower packing collar I 2,4 squeezingthepacker rings I4 and expanding them against the casing to form a sealtherewith.

In case theepacking member 2 is frictionally engaging the casingi itstops as soon as the pin 21 is disengaged from the'recess 29, whereuponthe mandrel moves down to engage the valve face 5 against the valve seat6 and thereafter forces the cone II down' until the slips I9 are set,after which the packing' rings I4 are expanded as already described.

'Ihe shoulder I 6 in the cone I I is spaced a suillcient distance belowthe sleeve 8 to permit proper expansion of the packing rings I4 undernormal conditions. However, should the casing be damaged or be ofexcessive diameter so that normal compression of the packing rings didnot produce a solid seal, then the downward movement of the sleeve andupper packing collar 1 is limited by contact of the lower end of thesleeve 8 with the shoulder I6 t prevent damage to the packing rings. e'I'he packer is released by merely lifting up on the tubing string. Thiscarries the mandrel I upwardly, flrst disengaging the valve 5 from thevalve seat 6 and thereafter lifting the slip cone II through theshoulder" I8 engaging with the accepts leases the slips il into theirnormalpositionI as shown `in the drawing, Awhereupon the ,entire packermaybe'withdrawn tothe surface. Itis possible, however. toreset'jthevpacker at another point in the well without withdrawing it.`To do this, the tubing string, after' being raised` sunlciently`to^release' thepacker'a'nd bring the pin 21 into the upper end o! theslotll, is vrotated to the right to return the pini21 into therecess 29.Thereafter the packer may be again lowered or raised into any desiredposition in the well since the slips 23 are then lockediin4 disengagedposimany possible variations and the invention is to be limited only asset forth in the appended claims.

-I claim:

1. A well packer comprising in combination a mandrel adapted to besecured to the lower end of a string of tubing, a hollow packing memberslidably mounted upon said mandrel and defining a fluid space betweensaid packingmember and mandrel, slip means including elements forfrictionally engaging a casing slidably supported on said mandrel belowsaid packing member for anchoring said packing member to a casing in4response to downward movement of the packing member with respect tosaid slip means; means for normally locking said slip means in lowermostreleased position with respect to said mandrel, said locking means beingreleasable to permit downward movement ci said mandrel with respect tosaid slip means, a valve seat in the upper end of the lpacking member, avalve on the 4 packing member with respect to said slip means comprisinga plurality of rods extending upwardly from said slip means, saidpacking member being provided with passages to slidably receive saidrods, the rods having enlarged heads on the upper ends thereof, and theorinces in the lower ends of said passages being provided withshoulders'to engage said heads and limit downward movement of the rodswith respect to the packing member.

2. A packer comprising in combination a mandrel adapted to be secured tothe lower end o! a string oi tubing, a packing member surrounding saidmandrel, said packing member comprising a sleeve andan upper packingcollar. rigidly secured together and a lower packing collar slidablymounted upon said sleeve, packing rings positioned about said sleevebetween said packing collars, slip means for anchoring said lowerpacking collar to a casing, a valve seat on the upper end oi said nrstpacking collar, a valve onvsaid mandrel normally positioned in spacedrelation above said valve seat and adapted to engage said valve seat inresponse to downward movement lof said mandrel with respect to saidpacking member, whereby downward movement of said mandrel with respectto said packing member ilrst forces said valve against said valve seatand It is to vbe 'understood that the embodiment er the invention'described herein 'is only one 0L v 3 thereafter io'rces said uppercollar and .sleeve downwardwithirespectto said lower collar to expandsaidpacking rings;` Y

L3, Apacker as describedin claim 2 in which said sleeve is ,provided`withV ashoulder to limit downward movement o! said lower packing collarwith respectto said sleeve and upper packing c'ollar.. i f i 4. A packeras described in claim 2 in which saidpacker comprises an element securedto said lower packing collar and havinga shoulder in thepath ofVmovement of thel lower end of said sleeve ior limiting `downwardmovement of the sleeve with respect tothe lower'packing collar. 5.4ln` apacker,\a member having "a cylindrical surface, snapper-packing collar`secured to said member and constituting a shoulder thereon, a lowerpacking collar slidably mounted on said cylindrical member, and aplurality of packing rings surrounding said cylindrical member andstacked on top oi each other and in direct contact with each otherbetween said collars, each packing ring being of substantiallyrectangular cross-section with beveled upper and lower edges whereby thebeveled edgesot adjacent rings define an annular groove extending aboutsaid packer.

6. In a packer, amandrel, a hollow packing member surrounding' saidmandrel comprising a sleeve, an upper packing retaining collar attachedto said sleeve, a lower packing retaining collar slidably mounted uponsaid sleeve, a slip cone surrounding said mandrel and positioned belowsaid packing member, said slip cone being recessed to receive the lowerend of said sleeve, means forl detachably securing said lower packingretaining collar to the upper end of said slip cone. and a shoulder onthe lower end of said sleeve adapted to engage with the lower edge ofsaid lower packing retaining collar to limit'upward movement of saidsleeve with respect to said slip cone, a shoulder at the lower edge ofsaid recessed portion of said slip cone for engaging with and limitingdownward movement of saidY sleeve, slips on said said slip cone andmeans attached to said slips for irictionally engaging the casing toforce' said slips upwardly and outwardly along said slip cone inresponse to downward movement oi' said slip cone, a valve seat on theupper end of said packing member and a valve on said mandrel forengaging with said seat in response to downward movement ci' the mandrelwith respect to said packing member.

'7. In a packer, a mandrel, a packing member and slip cone assemblyslidably and rotatably mounted upon said mandrel, slips `on said slipcone, a slip-anchoring sleeve slidably mounted on said mandrel belowsaid slip cone, spring casing-engaging means on said slip` anchoringsleeve, means: comprising a pin on said mandrel and a' bayonet slot4onsaid slip-anchoring sleeve for limiting movement of said sleeve-withrespect to said mandrel, a slip collar rotatably mounted von said sleevefor longitudinal movement there-- ,with respect to said slip ring;

8. A well packer comprising in combination a mandrel adapted to besecured to the lower end ci a string of tubinnl rst member slidablymounted on said mandrel adjacent the upper end thereof and a secondmember slidably mounted on said mandrel below said rst member, said nrstmember deiining with said mandrel afluid passage surrounding saidmandrel and including a packing member andra slip cone. slips slidablymounted on said cone, said second member including spring elements forfrictionally engaging a casing, slip links connecting said second memberto said slips for actuating the latter, means for normally locking saidsecond member in apredetermined lowermost position on said mandrel, saidlocking means beingreleasable to permit downward movement of saidmandrel with respect to said second member. a valve seat in the upperend of said rst member, a valve on the mandrel adapted to engage withsaid seat when the mandrel is lowered with respect to said tlrst member.to seal said fluid passage and limit downward movement o! the mandrelwith respect to said first member, and a link means independent of saidslips and said slip links directly connecting said rst and secondmembers for limiting upward movement of said rst member with respect tosaid second member whereby when said second member isV locked in saidlowermost position on said mandrel said valve is maintained clear cisaid seat. 1

9. A well packer, as described in claim 8, in which said link means fordirectly connecting said first and second members comprises a boltthreadei'l into one of said members at one end and having a head on itsother end, said bolt being extended through an oriiice provided thereforon said other member, which orifice is smaller than said bolt head.

ROY R. -RENOUF.

